


The Margin

by pauraque



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Community: hp_halloween, Double Drabble, Gen, Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 12:53:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2582114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pauraque/pseuds/pauraque
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the children are asleep, the Heads of House have their own Samhain ritual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Margin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kelly_chambliss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelly_chambliss/gifts).



> Written for [HP Halloween](http://hp-halloween.livejournal.com) 2014.

In a room at the top of a tower, where Hogwarts' most ancient relics lay, the heads of the four  
Houses gathered each Samhain to renew the Founders' vows.

Minerva looked forward to that often-joyous night: to Filius's wit, to trading barbs with  
Severus, to Pomona's boisterous laughter richly resounding in the small space.

Then each signed the book. The Founders' pendent seals decorated its early  
pages, and over centuries of fragrant parchment, seals turned to signatures—  
figures from history, then teachers Minerva fondly recalled, and finally  
their own names, proudly repeated down four columns.

After signing, they joined hands to recite a never-written spell of hope  
and union, ten centuries old. Once the ritual was done, Severus  
always drew his hand away quickly.

On the bleak Samhain when Severus was Headmaster, and Horace's  
soft, warm hand replaced his cold and uneasy touch, there was  
no laughter, and the words of the spell sounded hollow.

Her face a careful mask, Minerva noted that on each line,  
Severus's signature took up less space than the  
one before. Thus the Slytherin column grew  
slimmer year by year, as though  
inscribed by a man for whom  
the world's possibilities  
were becoming  
increasingly  
narrow.


End file.
